Charles J. T. Ziegler

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Charles Jacob Theodore Ziegler (b. June 30, 1854, New York City, NY; d. January 4, 1893, London, England) was William's oldest nephew, the son of William's sister Doretta Steinway and Jacob Ziegler.(2)   In his youth, he was often a part of family gatherings, including boating parties on William's steam-powered yacht.(Diary, 1870-07-27)  His obituary in The New York Times mentioned that he spent the early part of his career at the Steinway factory in New York, but William never mentions such employment in his diary.(3)  He was eventually sent to London to work with the Steinway business there.  He settled in London in 1887 where he was appointed cashier of the Steinway offices.(Diary, 1887-07-05)  He never married.(3)

Starting in 1864, Charles, along with his cousin Henry William Theodore Steinway, for a time was privately tutored in Braunschweig, Germany.(1) By 1870, the two cousins were being educated at Mt. Pleasant Academy, a military school patronized largely by Metropolitan New York area boys and located in Ossining, NY along the Hudson River. It had been in operation since 1814, but had more recently adopted a military style. As with many of the nephews he had, William maintained a relationship with Charles Ziegler, visiting him at school in Ossining (Diary, 1870-12-07) and occasionally sharing a meal.(Diary, 1871-01-18; 03-11) A particularly enjoyable outing occurred In the summer of 1870 when William entertained, Charles along with several of Charles’s uncles and cousins during an afternoon on William’s steam yacht on the East River and Long Island Sound.(Diary, 1870-07-27)

William’s diary does not mention Charles again until October 1875, when William wrote that Charles was in Europe to chaperone Reinel Roos, niece of William’s wife Regina. Reinel planned to visit some young German men she had met on an earlier European trip. On January 7, 1876, Charles wrote from Munich that he had “seen Ehrensberg, who seems to be respectable and to have means.” Charles reported from Munich in May and August that Reinel needed funds. She eventually married Ehrensberg, and Charles met their little daughter in Germany in 1882.(Diary, 1882-08-12) William’s diary does not mention Charles again until 1887. He may have stayed in Europe, possibly with his parents, who spent much time there.

By 1887, William began to establish a branch in London and appointed Charles as cashier at the London branch.(Diary, 1887-07-05) Over time William recorded in the diary that increased authority had been delegated to Charles.(Diary, 1889-02-12) During William’s trips to Europe he often stopped in London upon reaching Europe or as he departed, often for extended stays. He would transact business from the London office and often met with Charles and dined with him.(Diary, 1888-05-17; 1890-07-10; 1892-06-09) Charles made a brief visit to New York in the summer of 1890.(Diary, 1890-08-14) But Charles’s time at Steinway Hall in London was quite limited. When William was at home in New York, he noted communication from Charles in London.(Diary, 1890-12-21) William received a cable from London, reporting that Charles was very ill.(Diary, 1893-01-03) He died there the next day, not yet thirty-nine years old.
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Sources:
(1) Fostle, D.W., The Steinway Saga. New York: Scribner, 1995, p. 135.
(2) Maniha, Ken, Steinway Family Genealogy
(3) “Nephew Not Son-In-Law,” The New York Times, January 6, 1893, p. 8.